Plant and relative method for the treatment of items of clothing, in particular jeans

ABSTRACT

A plant for the treatment of items of clothing. The plant comprises:
         a first feeding line for feeding the items of clothing; and   a second treatment line for the treatment of items of clothing themselves.       

     The second treatment line comprises at least a treatment booth provided with at least one nozzle which is suited to send a high-pressure abradant fluid onto at least one item of clothing available in the treatment booth itself.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a plant, and to a relative method, forthe treatment of items of clothing.

In particular, the present invention finds advantageous, but notexclusive, application for the scouring of jeans (denim), to which thefollowing description will make explicit reference without therebylosing generality.

BACKGROUND ART

Currently the treatment of finishing/washing an item of clothinginvolves the use of at least 70 liters of water for every single item ofclothing to which the chemical additives (chlorine, permanganate,solvents etc.) are added, which allow transforming an item of clothingfrom the raw state (untreated) into an item of clothing on which theeffects of scouring much appreciated especially by young customers arepresent.

Typically the treatment of items of clothing, jeans in particular, to bescoured comprises the following steps:

-   -   1—manual scratching with sandpaper or abrasive brushes when        cleaning effect so requires;    -   2—washing the item of clothing with enzymes with an average        consumption of 10/13 l for each items of clothing;    -   3—rinsing in washing machine with an average consumption of        26/30 l for each item of clothing;    -   4—manual treatment with chemicals (permanganate);    -   5—neutralization in washing machine with metabisulphite with an        average consumption of 10/13 l for each item of clothing;    -   6—rinsing in washing machine with an average consumption of        26/30 l for each item of clothing;    -   7—spinning operation on every single item of clothing, and    -   8—final drying (of tumbler type) of each item of clothing.

We will pass now to examine in closer detail each step:

1. MANUAL SCRATCHING: strictly manual processing on the item ofclothing, with the aid of special equipment (grinding wheels, sandpaper)aging effects are produced by rubbing onto the items of clothing (theso-called “fraying”/“scratching”). Said processing involves theformation of fine dust, which, through appropriate suction hoods, mustbe dampened in special rain chambers. The fine dust contains all thechemicals used in the fabric processing and must be therefore conveyedto a purification plant.

2. WASHING THE ITEM OF CLOTHING WITH ENZYMES: The item of clothing issubjected to a wash called “Stone Washed”, which can last from 10 to 45minutes in the washing machine with the use of chemical enzymes attemperatures ranging from 45 to 50° C. With this processing, the item ofclothing is cleaned from the glue, from the indigo or the sulfur used inthe processing procedures of the fabrics; said chemical products,together with the water, must be successively purified with the additionof chemical additives necessary to achieve neutral PH.

3. RINSING IN WASHING MACHINE: Step required to clean the items ofclothing after the treatment.

4. MANUAL TREATMENT WITH CHEMICAL PRODUCTS: Procedure used to corrode inlocalized areas indigo or sulfur. The chemical reagent used corrodesindigo or sulfur, but does not act on cellulose. The most widely usedproduct is potassium permanganate, a harmful and combustive substance,hazardous to the environment which can damage eye tissue, irritate theskin and if the dust is inhaled may damage the respiratory system andthe mucous membrane. To limit the damage, the spray of said substancesoccurs in water film booths and the operator must obligatorily wear allthe necessary protective clothing. The product that falls in the wateris fed into the cleaning plant.

5. NEUTRALISATION IN WASHING MACHINE WITH METABISULPHITE: Procedure usedto neutralize the permanganate. The use of metabisulphite and of thepermanganate is subject to inspection for their possible release intothe environment.

6. RINSING IN WASHING MACHINE: Step needed for cleaning the item ofclothing after treatment.

7. SPINNING OPERATION: Procedure for mechanically removing fluids fromthe item of clothing.

8. FINAL DRYING: Procedure for the final drying of the items of clothingvariable according to the type of fabric to be dried.

The above processing can be used all or in part, in an actual scouringprocedure.

The steps described above, in addition to creating dangers for theworkers who are constantly exposed to risks in the processing steps,require considerable quantities of water, water which must be disposedof in a purification system since it is unusable in the successivetreatment steps. The disposal of these liquids involves the use ofadditional chemical substances required to ensure that the quality ofthe purified water meets regulations.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

With the present invention it is intended to obtain scouring effects onitems of clothing with low consumption of water and in the total absenceof chemical products of difficult disposal.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide aplant for the treatment of items of clothing which is free from thedrawbacks described above and, at the same time, is easy and economicalto produce.

According to the present invention, a plant and a respective method, forthe treatment of items of clothing, are made as claimed in theindependent claims or in any one of the dependent claims that depend,directly or indirectly, by at least one of the independent claims 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, various preferredembodiments are now described, purely by way of non-limiting examplesand with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows schematically a plant for the treatment of items ofclothing according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A shows a first embodiment of a nozzle used in the plant of FIG.1;

FIG. 2B shows a second embodiment of a nozzle used in the plant of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 shows a series of outlet openings on the nozzles of thepressurized fluid that are represented in FIGS. 2A, 2B; and

FIG. 4 shows some enlarged details of the plant of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, with 100 is indicated, as a whole, a plant for the treatmentof items of clothing according to the invention.

As we shall see, on said plant 100 is possible to implement a respectivemethod for the treatment of items of clothing also object of the presentinvention.

The plant 100 comprises a first feeding line 10 of the items of clothing(not shown), in particular jeans (denim), coupled to a second treatmentline 20 on which the various devices for the treatment of said items ofclothing (see below) are arranged.

The plant 100 also comprises a third feeding line 30 of circulation andtreatment of fluids that serve the various processing.

By means of a specific electronic control unit (EC) the image to betransferred on the item of clothing can be designed and the processingvariables can be set on the basis of the different types of fabrics tobe processed.

In particular in the electronic control unit (EC) is provided thepossibility to treat the items of clothing according to programs set bythe programmer, who can choose the type of processing to be performed bya preconceived archive. Said treatments can be, for example, theobtaining of fringes, scratches, tears, discoloration and localizedworn-out areas. Moreover, it can be foreseen the possibility to insertin the software managed by the electronic control unit (EC) a digitalimage from which the processing to be performed in relation to theweight of the constituent elements and the color of the fabric to betreated can be derived.

As shown in the figure the items of clothing to be treated are manuallyloaded in correspondence of a STATION I and are transferred, by means ofsemi-rigid structures (not shown) moved on a suspended path, to aSTATION II where they are introduced into a treatment booth 21 partiallyclosed. On the walls of the treatment booth 21 a plurality of nozzles 22is provided, each of which is hydraulically connected to a respectivepump 23 at high pressure. The nozzles 22 spray on the items of clothingthat are in the treatment booth 21, a high pressure fluid that is drawnfrom a collection tank 31. In the present case the treatment abradantfluid in this step can be constituted by water alone, or by a waterbased solution. Preferably, but not necessarily, the water, or the waterbased solution, is hot.

Note how in the present invention the main function of the water is notto wash the items of clothing, as was the case in treatment plantsbelonging to the prior art, but that of mechanical abrasion of thefabric.

Moreover, the treatment abradant fluid might also be constituted by ahigh pressure gas, for example, high pressure air.

On average, each nozzle 22 sprays from 10 l/min to 20 l/min, preferably14 l/min, at a medium output pressure ranging from 100 bar to 300 bar.Of all the water sprayed in this step it is recovered at least 70% atfinished treatment (see below).

The high pressure water is sprayed on the items of clothing with time,temperature and pressure variables on the basis of the technicalcharacteristics of the fabric and of the processing to be performed.

Still using the first feeding line 10 the items of clothing are movedfrom the STATION II to the STATION III and introduced in a shrinkagebooth 24 wherein at least one nozzle 25 sprays on the items of clothingthemselves hot water at a variable temperature and pressure, based onthe technical characteristics of the fabric to allow the items ofclothing the necessary technical shrinkage.

It is recalled that in the textile field the so-called “technicalshrinkage” is a factor which serves to avoid that an item of clothingcan shrink and change in size after being subjected to a homemadewashing.

For this reason, industrially, according to the type of fabric, hotwashing follows and the product is given a dimensional stability. The“technical shrinkage”, then, is no more than the percentage differenceof the product before and after washing the same in hot water.

After passing in the shrinkage booth 24 items of clothing are manuallyor automatically introduced in a spinning machine 26 (STATION IV) wherethe items of clothing are dehydrated. The items of clothing are thenremoved manually from the spinning machine 26 and are dried in a tumbler(not shown).

As illustrated in the figure, all the fluids used in the machiningmethod are pumped into a pretreatment filter 32. The fluid coming backfrom the pretreatment filter 32 is then sent in an osmosis device 33which completes the recovery and purification procedure.

The purified fluid is then injected into said collecting tank 31 througha pipe 34 and reused in the next cycle.

By doing this it is possible to save up to 93% of fluids withsignificant energy savings.

Another important saving factor is in the possible amount of energyused, and in particular the quantity of fuel gas normally used for theproduction of steam in the laundry department.

On the contrary, with the present method the final result is obtainablewith just the mechanical action of water at room-temperature. Well worthnoting, the only step where the use of hot water is expected (with theneed, therefore, to have a fuel gas or electric boiler) is related tothe shrinkage treatment of the items of clothing that is accomplished,as we have said, in the shrinkage booth 24.

At this step solar energy for water heating could be used.

Inside the treatment booth 21 electromechanically moved nozzles 22 arelocated in the perimeter of the treatment booth 21 with the same shapeand different diameters.

A first embodiment of the nozzle 22A is shown in FIG. 2A.

The nozzle 22A is mounted on a support structure 50 comprising a firstprismatic block 51 fixed to a wall of the treatment booth 21. From thefirst prismatic block 51 a second prismatic block 52 protrudes, on whicha supporting rod 53 of the nozzle 22A is mounted. The supporting rod 53is coupled to the second prismatic body by a ball joint 54electromechanically movable by way of devices not shown.

In particular, the nozzle 22A comprises a cylindrical main body 22A*prolonged, towards the inside of the treatment booth 21, by a conicalbody 22A**.

The end 22A*** of the conical body 22A** is provided with at least oneoutlet opening 55A, 55B, 55C, 55D, 55E of the type shown in FIG. 3.

In particular, the outlet opening 55A consists of a simple circularhole, the outlet opening 55B consists of a segment, the outlet opening55C has the shape of a wave, the outlet opening 55D consists of a curveportion and the outlet opening 55E is provided by the set of threecircular holes.

A second embodiment of the nozzle 22B is shown in FIG. 2B. Said nozzle22B is of a substantially spheroidal-shaped cap but may also have adifferent shape and is supported by a support rod 63 fixed to the wallof the treatment booth 21 by a ball joint 64 electromechanically movableby means of devices not illustrated.

Alternatively, all the aforesaid nozzles can be handled directly by themovement of the first prismatic block 51 (FIG. 2A).

Even on the nozzle 22B outlet openings 55A, 55B, 55C, 55D, 55E of thetypes shown in FIG. 3 are provided.

The nozzles 22A, 22B will act on points coordinated by the programcontrolled by the electronic control unit (EC) moving autonomously inall directions.

From said nozzles 22A, 22B by way of the high-pressure pumps 23 fluidsat variable pressure and duration in function of the final effect andthe type of fabric to be treated will be sprayed directly on the itemsof clothing. Said fluids will act only mechanically on the items ofclothing abrading the surface, giving rise to wear and aging effects asprogrammed.

As shown in more detail in FIG. 4, each single item of clothing (CP1),(CP2), (CP3), (CP4), (CP5) is manually loaded on a respective mannequin(MN1), (MN2), (MN3), (MN4), (MN5) transported by said first feeding line10 of the items of clothing shown in FIG. 1.

Each (CP1), (CP2), (CP3), (CP4), (CP5) will then be lowered down fromabove into the treatment booth 21 from the respective mannequin (MN1),(MN2), (MN3), (MN4), (MN5) actuated by an extensible rod, and issubjected to at least one high pressure spray produced by at least onenozzle 22.

It is interesting to note that special scouring effects can be achievedby combining the movements of the nozzles 22 with any rototranslatingmovements made by the items of clothing (CP1), (CP2), (CP3), (CP4),(CP5) by the handling of the respective mannequins (MN1), (MN2), (MN3),(MN4), (MN5).

The items of clothing (CP1), (CP2), (CP3), (CP4), (CP5) are arranged oneby one in the treatment booth 21 and may be subject to the same ordifferent treatments depending on how the electronic control unit (EC)has been programmed.

Thus, to summarize we can say that, depending on the desired treatmentsand the desired final appearance of the items of clothing and aftersetting the desired program on the appropriate software, from thenozzles fluids with variable pressures and durations that abrade, in aprogrammed manner, the surface of the items of clothing that are in thetreatment booth, will be sprayed.

The present invention also relates to a method for the treatment ofitems of clothing, in particular jeans (denim), comprising the step ofsending an abradant fluid at high pressure on the items of clothing.

Furthermore, the abradant fluid may be an abradant liquid substantiallywater-based having an average output pressure ranging from 100 bar to300 bar, and, preferably, a flow rate ranging from 10 l/min and 20l/min.

Said method may optionally comprise a spinning step, during which theitems of clothing are subject to spinning, followed by a drying step ofthe items of clothing themselves.

The main advantage of the plant and the respective method object of theinvention consists in the fact of having completely eliminated, thefollowing processing steps:

-   -   manual or mechanical scratching with sandpaper;    -   washing the items of clothing with enzymes;    -   rinsing in washing machine;    -   manual treatment with chemicals (permanganate);    -   neutralization in washing machine with metabisulphite; and    -   rinsing in washing machine.

All this results in consequential conservation in terms of consumptionof water and having a much lower environmental impact.

In addition, given the low volume of water required for the operating ofthe plant, its installation can be carried out even in low developmentcountries and with scarce water resources.

1. A plant for the treatment of items of clothing, said plantcomprising: a first feeding line for feeding the items of clothing; anda second treatment line for treating the items of clothing; wherein saidsecond treatment line comprises at least one treatment booth, which isprovided with at least one nozzle, which is suited to send ahigh-pressure abradant fluid onto at least one item of clothingavailable in said treatment booth itself.
 2. The plant, according toclaim 1, wherein said high-pressure abradant fluid is a substantiallywater-based liquid.
 3. The plant, according to claim 2, wherein saidnozzle is suited to spray said substantially water-based liquid at anaverage output pressure ranging from 100 bar to 300 bar with a flow rateranging from 10 l/min to 20 l/min.
 4. The plant, according to claim 1,wherein the plant comprises a spinning station for spinning the items ofclothing and a drying device for drying the items of clothingthemselves.
 5. The plant, according to claim 1, wherein the nozzlepresents at least one opening, which is shaped as one of a simplecircular hole, a slit, a wave, or a curve portion.
 6. The plant,according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle can be moved with respect tosaid items of clothing.
 7. The plant, according to claim 6, whereinspecial scouring effects can be obtained by combining the movements ofsaid nozzles with the roto-translational movements performed by theitems of clothing.
 8. A method, for the treatment of items of clothingcomprising a step of sending a high-pressure abradant fluid onto itemsof clothing.
 9. A method, according to claim 8, wherein said fluid is asubstantially water-based liquid having an average output pressureranging from 100 bar to 300 bar, and, preferably, a flow rate rangingfrom 10 l/min to 20 l/min.
 10. The method, according to claim 8, furthercomprising a spinning step, during which the items of clothing aresubject to spinning, followed by a further drying step, during which theitems of clothing themselves are dried.
 11. The plant according to claim2, wherein the substantially water-based liquid is a hot liquid.